City of ancient pirates, where an archaic Ligurian dialect is still spoken, deriving from the Genoese invaders who defeated the Pisan settlers at the end of the 12th century. They attacked the city as a wedding party was ending and all the men were well drunk and unable to defend the city. In more recent times it also became a refuge for Sardinian bandits pursued by the Italian police. During the centuries of their dominion, the Genoese suffered several attacks from other powers, but the city was practically impregnable. They resisted until the passage of Corsica to the King of France in 1768. In fact, the Republic of Genoa, now bankrupt and unable to counter the Corsican rebellions, paid the debts contracted for the requested French military aid with the sale of the island.
Photo 1: Bonifacio from Capo Testa in Sardinia
The first time we saw Bonifacio was from Capo Testa, during a holiday in Sardinia. And the silhouette of the white cliff, separated by 12 km of blue sea, can make you understand what those who come from the sea feel. It has a magnetic effect, you cannot escape the desire to get to that shore, to see how high that cliff is. And you wonder who will ever live overlooking the sea, which looking out from the balcony has an overhang of almost 100 meters, directly on the sea or rather, in some points, the houses are suspended in absolute emptiness. If you could dive, you would end up directly in the sea a few tens of meters from the shore, really impressive.
Photo 2: Bonifacio harbour
The port of Bonifacio is a small fjord, which winds among the high white cliffs for more than a kilometer, a position that has always been extremely defensible. We drive up along the white cliff on very narrow one-way streets. We park near the Marine Cemetery, on a slightly sloping terrace towards the end of the cliff. The cemeteries are truly unique in Corsica. As we have been able to observe in particular for that of Sartena, they are not places within an urban area, perhaps near the parish church, intended for the worship and burial of the dead, but they are like real cities of the dead built in another place, even a little far from the city of the living, the classic necropolis. In Sartena there are two opposing cities on both sides of the valley. And so in many other places in Corsica.
Photo 3: The necropolis of Sartena Photo 4: the marine cemetery of Bonifacio
We walk up to the top of the cliff. Narrow streets leading to the highest point. What strikes us in particular is to observe the very steep stairs that access the upper floors of the houses starting from the street level. Originally, in many houses, stairs did not exist. You entered the house from the windows of the upper floors with wooden stairs that were withdrawn during the night, this for fear of possible attacks by Saracen pirates.
Photo 5: The stairs of Bonifacio Photo 6: old houses of Bonifacio
We pass the ruins of ancient 13th century windmills. Further on we find the church of San Domenico, also from the 13th century, built on a pre-existing church of the Templars, in Gothic style, very rare in Corsica.
Foto 7:windmills Photo 8: San Domenico’s church
The church of Santa Maria Maggiore, today on top of the cliff, is the oldest building in Bonifacio even if we do not have a certain date of its construction, we only know that it already existed in 1238 and is in Romanesque style.
Photo 9:The church of Santa Maria Maggiore Photo 10:The church of Santa Maria Maggiore (particular)
A few more steps and you arrive in the panoramic square of Bonifacio, overlooking the sea, or rather overhanging the sea. Here the wind is very strong and the seagulls play with the wind, remaining motionless in flight and observing the tourists in the hope of being able to steal their food. We must always be careful, they are more and more voracious and it is not uncommon for them to take the sandwich you are about to bite into! So if you’re eating something close to where the seagulls are … watch your back! 
And looking at the sea, seeing the abyss and feeling the wind on you, you think you are Superman and you would like to take flight!
Photo 16: Bonifacio and its white cliffs
@PattyBlack @DeniGu @ErmesT @AntonellaGr @davidhyno @LuigiZ @TravellerG @helga19 @JaneBurunina @Erna_LaBeau
surprise surprise no one has dumped this wonderful historical story into a cinematography yet, 
?!?
